The invention relates to improvements in methods of and apparatus for gathering panels or sheets (e.g., sheets made of paper, metallic foil, plastic foil or the like) into stacks of two or more overlapping sheets. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method of and in an apparatus for gathering panels or sheets into a series of successive stacks at a first station and for transporting successively gathered stacks from the first station to a second station, e.g., to a wrapping or packing station.
It is often necessary to gather a single stream or several streams of discrete panels or sheets (hereinafter called sheets for short) into relatively small or relatively large accumulations in the form of piles or stacks each of which can comprise a small number of sheets (e.g., a few very large sheets) or a large number (e.g., a full ream) of sheets so as to facilitate further manipulation of the accumulations, e.g., to facilitate the assembly of such accumulations into larger piles or stacks, subdivision of piled-up sheets into smaller piles or stacks, simultaneous severing of sheets forming a pile or stack, storage of piles or stacks, or wrapping and boxing or crating of piles or stacks. As a rule, a single stream of discrete partially overlapping or non-overlapping sheets is formed at a cutting station wherein one or more knives repeatedly sever a single continuous strip or web or two or more overlapping strips or webs of paper, metallic foil, plastic foil or like material. The sheets of the stream must be converted into a series of piles or stacks (hereinafter called stacks for short) at the rate at which they are formed at the cutting station. Moreover, it is often desirable or absolutely necessary to ensure that each of a short or long series of stacks will contain the same number or a predetermined number of overlapping sheets.